Choose Your Own Adventure!Keynote & Workshop Titles

KEYNOTES

The programs below can be delivered as a 45-90 minute keynote and are fine-tuned to the specific needs and challenges of the audience.

Curing Adultitis: Your Prescription for Less Stress and More SuccessTopics: Stress Management, Life Balance, Employee Engagement & RetentionPerfect For: Corporations, Associations, and Non-Profit Organizations.Note: This program can be delivered with the alternative titles of “Curing Adultitis: Your Prescription for Less Stress and More Fun” or “Escape Adulthood: Living and Working with Less Stress and More Fun.”

Adultitis is an epidemic that is coming hard after us every single day. It can infiltrate even the best working environments, producing stress and instigating burnout. Left unchecked, Adultitis will eat your productivity, teamwork, and morale alive. Surrender need not be an option, however. In this light-hearted but hard-hitting program, Jason will arm your people with the fresh perspective they need to reclaim their passion and create a better harmony between work and home. He provides witty observations, humorous anecdotes, and real-world techniques that will entertain and inspire the audience to live a richer, more balanced life. They’ll learn easy, practical tips for bringing more fun and less stress to the job at hand, contributing to a workplace that’s more enjoyable and engaging for themselves AND those they serve. Adultitis may be a formidable foe, but Jason can help you annihilate it.

Jason has a vast palette of artwork, stories, and action items he draws from in order to create a customized message specially tailored for each audience. Truly, Jason never gives the same speech twice.

Although we will work with you to develop the best program for your event based on your unique theme, terminology, and daily challenges, here are some examples of how Jason tailors his message for a few specific types of audiences that regularly hire him:

Business / Corporate
Jason tends to gear his programs toward improving employee engagement and helping attendees to achieve breakthrough levels of innovation, while providing concrete strategies for creating a more positive, productive, cohesive work environment.

Healthcare
Jason places a special emphasis on dealing with compassion fatigue, creating a stronger team dynamic with colleagues, and increasing patient satisfaction.

Non-Profit / Education
Jason focuses on common challenges they share, helping to revitalize their passion for making a difference amidst the burden to do more with less while navigating the ever-evolving landscape of change and regulatory requirements.

“Jason provides a content-rich program interspersed with humor and emotion. Jason’s presentations are very well balanced with humor and great, workable ideas for bringing balance into your life. He’s funny, approachable and presents great content in a program that ebbs and flows naturally. It’s evident that he practices what he preaches. His collaboration with Kim, his creative (and life) partner in fighting Adultitis, shines through every interaction with them. They are true professionals with excellent follow-up and follow thru. As a bonus, they are just fun to work with!”
-Terry Estness, Executive Vice President at T. Estness Ltd.

“Never pass up the opportunity to see one of Jason’s presentations – it’s transformative! It was fresh, fun and the perfect combination of empowerment and entertainment. I liked the fun, DO-try-this-at-home examples sprinkled throughout his program. Rather than a theoretical how-to list to fighting Adultitis, these time-tested, successful ideas were just what we needed to get our creative juices flowing again. I wouldn’t change a thing. The combination of Jason’s delivery, supporting visuals, sense of humor and audience involvement techniques made for an incredible experience. It’s been a pleasure working with you and from all that I’ve seen and heard, Jason’s session definitely exceeded all expectations.”
-Kristin Zurovitch, Director of Marketing, Sonic Foundry

#Notarule: The Art of Winning at Business and Life by Breaking Rules That Don’t ExistTopics: Innovation, Business Growth, and LeadershipPerfect For: Businesses and organizations looking to accelerate growth and innovation in order to increase profits, improve efficiency, and create amazing customer experiences.Note: This program can be delivered with the alternative title of “Penguins CAN Fly: The Art of Breaking Rules for Fun & Profit”

The business world is moving faster than ever and the only constant is change. What worked yesterday probably won’t work tomorrow. In order to survive — and thrive — in this environment, we need to see the world with new eyes and identify the old ways of thinking that are holding us back. In this light-hearted but hard-hitting program, Jason works with participants to uncover and annihilate these so-called rules that don’t exist. He’ll reveal some surprising principles from childhood that provide a powerful competitive advantage, foster breakthrough levels of innovation and profitability, and accomplish what was once thought impossible.

Thanks to his uncommon combination of humor and pragmatism, this program provides an impressive array of inspiring and practical takeaways. With fresh perspective that is free from stale corporate lingo and business buzzwords, Jason will share several commonly held rules that don’t exist. By the end, the audience will be armed with tools for getting better at identifying rules that don’t exist, and tactics for breaking them with confidence. In addition, they will be inspired to discover opportunities to improve customer and employee engagement. Ultimately, your people will leave empowered to utilize their strengths to increase your organization’s impact (and have fun doing it!)

“In order to innovate you have to break some rules. And if you want to have a great life, you need to create a widely diversified portfolio of unforgettable memories. Jason Kotecki will help you do both.”
–Daniel Burrus, Author of The New York Times best seller, Flash Foresight

The Grilled Cheese Sandwich | 1:20
Oftentimes, we get so set in a certain way of doing things, we don’t even consider an alternative. But there is always more than one way to look at things.

“I would highly recommend Jason’s program for any size business – large or small – to motivate employees and keep them centered on a personal front. Jason effectively connecting personal stories to big ideas and relatable concepts. No room for improvement – Jason was great!”
–Ben Sussman, Vice President, Forest Lawn Funerals, Cremations, and Cemeteries, CA

For a great primer on the content of this talk, check out this free ChangeThis manifesto available here.

This program serves as a great follow-up program to “Curing Adultitis” for clients who loved Jason and want to have him back with different content. It provides just enough “review” for people who’ve never experienced one of Jason’s programs, but the bulk of this presentation features new stories and insights. As always, Jason carefully chooses his images, anecdotes and actionable steps to match the tone and objectives of your specific event.

“We had Jason two separate times. His presentation was wonderful as usual! Even though Jason had addressed this audience before, he had new material to make the keynote fresh. His style is inviting and connected to the participants.”
–Donna Jonas, Conference Coordinator, McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership, IL

The Art of Tinkering: Tiny Ways to Transform EverythingTopics: Small Business, Innovation, Business Growth, and LeadershipPerfect For: Corporations, Associations, and Non-Profit Organizations.

Sometimes in life and in business, taking things to the next level requires making a big, scary change. The good news is that most of the time, we can drive innovation, achieve new levels of happiness, and uncover hidden opportunities for fun and profit just by being open to the art of tinkering. The dictionary says that to tinker is “to repair, adjust, or work with something in an unskilled or experimental manner.” The key words are “unskilled” and “experimental.” Although kids tinker all day long, adults often act like they have to master something on the first try or know exactly how something will turn out before they even take the first step. In this funny, fascinating and practical program, Jason Kotecki, will introduce you to the art and benefits of “tinkering,” while addressing how tiny steps can overcome the giant fears that hold us back. He will demonstrate how tinkering is the perfect tool for strategically uncovering amazing opportunities hidden in plain sight. As a result of this program, you will be reminded that in times of uncertainty, the small things really do make the biggest difference, and you’ll be tinkering your way to new levels of awesome.

Here’s a sneak peek:

“WOW!!! is what Jason’s last presentation was. Absolutely fantastic! So thrilled we filmed it! The feel good energy and laughter Jason spread is a true gift to each and every guest. I love hearing from folks who experience Jason for the first time, I had one guest share that Jason was the best speaker they’d ever heard…talk about WOW! Thank you for another moving and incredible presentation and experience!”
–Jackie Ford, Dream Curator, American Family Insurance

Superheroes, Star Wars & Cinema: A Geek’s Guide
to Fighting Adultitis at Work and HomeTopics: Stress Management, Life Balance, Inspirational, Personal Development, MotivationPerfect For: Companies and associations in technology-related fields (and anyone else with an appreciation for a bit of geek culture!)

As a long-time fan of superheroes and Star Wars, Jason uncovers the evil scheme that Adultitis has to disrupt the productivity, health, and happiness of your people. This wildly creative but practical program features a variety of pop culture references and memorable movie moments interspersed between Jason’s trademark humorous storytelling. Audience members will appreciate the refreshing brand of edutainment, that blends light-hearted fun with an inspirational message. It’s designed to be an out-of-this world way to deliver down-to-earth strategies for managing stress, building productive teams, and unleashing your organization’s inner superhero.

“Jason totally delivered! His presentation was very well received by our audience. They enjoyed his presentation. It was lighthearted and easy to listen to. He had fun pictures and good stories that really enlightened the crowd. Attendees were discussing the speech and the message even the next day–and they were applying it to their lives, insisting that as adults we look back to our youthfulness to find the joy in the simple things to ultimately enjoy life on a higher level. I would like to share my high satisfaction for working with Jason and Kim from start to finish. Great crew! I would encourage any company/organization/person to consider having him speak for their event–especially if they are looking for a positive message that really sits well with and enlightens those that are dealing with high-stress situations. I will certainly pass on Jason’s name whenever I hear of an organization or company looking for a speaker.”
-Kalyn Lewis, Customer Programs & Media Relations Coordinator, Esker User Conference

Superheroes, Star Wars & Cinema: A Geek’s Guide to Fighting Adultitis at Work and Home
This is a full keynote presentation that Jason gave for Unleash 2013, an annual user conference for Sonic Foundry’s Mediasite software.

Lemonade Stand 2.0: Secrets from Childhood
for Succeeding in Business & LifeTopics: Small Business, Customer Loyalty, Life Balance, Stress Management, Vision/PurposePerfect For: Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs

An entrepreneur since the day he graduated from college, Jason has built a profitable business that is bolstered by a tribe of raving fans and has sparked a worldwide movement. In this presentation, Jason shares 8 often-overlooked principles from childhood that have contributed to this success. These principles are crucial for delighting customers, creating growth, and cultivating enthusiastic employees. But this program goes beyond mere business. As the wearers of many hats, small business owners are famous for having abysmal life balance. Jason believes wholeheartedly in the importance of not just making a living, but in designing a life, firmly aware that the most important work we’ll ever do will be within the walls of our own homes. Through witty storytelling, humorous observation, and real-world strategy, he delivers a powerful message that arms attendees with the tools to achieve bigger growth and better balance from their small business.

“Thank you for being part of our Annual Business Luncheon. Your message of avoiding “Adultitis” was spot on and certainly something I sure needed. Best wishes to you and your family and thanks again!”
– Mayor Shawn Pfaff, Mayor of Fitchburg, WI

Tinkering: Getting Better at Breaking the Rules | 4:10
Once you get better at noticing the rules that don’t exist, you can get better at breaking them. It requires getting real with risk, but starting is not as complicated as you might think.

BREAKOUTS & WORKSHOPS

Want to keep a good thing going? These special workshops are delivered as follow-up programs to the keynote. They can each be customized from 60-120 minutes.

Balancing Act: Overcoming Adultitis Amidst the Stress of Everyday
You were not designed to live a life that leaves you stressed out, worn down, and constantly running on empty. But in the crazy, fast-paced, technology-driven, always “on” world in which we live, there is more change, more choice, and more demands than ever before, pulling you in a million different directions. Maintaining a mindful and meaningful level of life balance is HUGE. And messing it up can wreak havoc with your career, your health, and your relationships. In this session, Jason will share insights that get to the heart of the problem and simple ideas for designing a balanced life that is less stressful and more fun.

Someday | 0:57
Why we need to be careful about that sneaky word, “Someday.”

Breaking Rules & Starting Rebellions: Everyday Strategies for Overthrowing Adultitis
Did you know there are countless rules you’re dutifully following every single day…that don’t actually exist? Even worse, they’re stressing you out, sapping your energy, and keeping you from living your best life. Jason will help you shed light on some of these surprising rules, and give you the tools you need for instigating what he calls small rebellions. Discover what small but mighty actions you can take today to turn your life into the fun, adventurous and exciting story you deserve.

Fancy Dinner | 2:44
Jason encourages folks to quit worrying about chips in the fine china and instead focus on appreciating the time they have with the people they love.

Memory Maker: A Cheap and Easy Guide to Big Fun
In today’s modern world, it’s really easy to have a week jam-packed with activities and yet emerge having collected very few — if any! — memorable moments with the people we love most. The sad part is, creating these great scenes is not every hard at all. In this session, Jason will share a ton of simple ideas for families and friends looking for cheap ways to have big fun, while creating stronger bonds and amazing memories that will last forever.

Pajama Run | 1:35
In this video, Jason talks about an awesomely delicious way to surprise your kids on a school night.

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